Tag Archives: Belief

Compassion Ministry Validates Faith

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What Does Faith Look Like?

If you’re one who believes your salvation is solely about what and whom you believe in, James’s epistle has to be a bit unnerving for you! I say that because James lays down a three-part evidence of what genuine, saving faith looks like: (1) self-control over one’s speech, (2) a ministry of compassion to the needy, and (3) practical holiness. I am alluding to the words written by James’s hand while inspired by God’s Holy Spirit: “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:26-27).

Compassion Ministry

James places the ministry of compassion on an equal plane with living a holy life and getting rid of your “potty mouth!” Unfortunately, many believers tend to separate them and elevate one area over another. Many think that becoming holy—or “keeping oneself unstained by the world,” as James says—is more important to God than taking care of widows and orphans. God doesn’t see it that way. Each one plays an equal part in living out our faith in Jesus, which is exactly what James means by “pure religion.” Ignore the chapter break—which isn’t inspired but added by well-intended individuals—and discover something even more scandalous: James declares it “favoritism” to look past the needs of orphans and widows.

Pure Religion Shows No Favoritism

See how it flows without the chapter break: “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:27–2:1). Failing to minister to the needs of orphans and widows is favoritism! Don’t do that, he says. He then goes on to illustrate favoritism for us in chapter 2. So, I think it’s biblically accurate to say that the “pure and undefiled religion” in 1:26–27 is the same thing as “faith in Jesus” in 2:1. Is this how you would define genuine faith? If not, perhaps you need to redefine faith the way God does. It’s His definition that counts!

Let God Define Genuine Faith

That may seem obvious to those of you who are passionate about serving Jesus, but unfortunately, that’s not the case with many in the church who claim to be Christians. I’m referring to the authority of Scripture to dictate every area of our lives—every area! There is not one part of my life that I can claim authority over. God and His Word have complete authority over every area of my life: my thought life, my work life, my sex life, etc. God’s Word has complete authority over all of it! What “I think” and what “I believe” must be submitted to the revelation of Scripture, then repented of and changed when it doesn’t match up. Are we in agreement? That is a fundamental of authentic faith in Jesus Christ. It’s no longer a Holy Bible when we start cutting out the parts we don’t like!
 

Love Is An Action

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Love Is A Verb

“Someone said it like this: ‘Love is a verb! Without action, it is merely a word.’ Jesus embodied that love from the beginning of His life to the very end, when He died a substitutionary death on the cross to pay the price for the sin of the world. No one ever loved like Jesus loved! ‘No one has greater love than this,’ He said, ‘that someone would lay down his life for his friends’ (John 15:13). Jesus was the friend of sinners! And the nearer we are to Jesus, the closer we’ll get to people—that we might serve them like He did!

Too Heavenly Minded

There’s an old saying: ‘Some people are so heavenly minded that they’re of no earthly good.’ We will serve the people of planet earth like Jesus served when we love like Jesus loved! Genuine love is way more than words like, ‘I love you, brother!’ It’s about action. It’s about deeds and service! ‘Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action’ (1 John 3:18). You can tell people you love them, but it’s more effective when you show them! In the famous passage of Scripture where Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, the chapter begins with these words: ‘Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him. Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God’ (John 13:2–3). Jesus knew what His purpose was for coming to this earth He had created. He also knew where He was going—back to God. So He knew His destiny. He could live His entire life preoccupied with loving and serving mankind!

Pre-Occupied With Love & Service

If we know Jesus as Savior, we also know our destiny. We are destined to live forever with Him! ‘I go to prepare a place for you,’ Jesus told those who followed Him, ‘that where I am you will be also’ (John 14:2–3). It would seem from Scripture that He is doing that right now! From the time He ascended back to the Father, He has been preparing a place for us to live with Him. If we truly believe that is our destiny, it will change our lives! We can serve others with the secure knowledge that Jesus has taken care of our future. That’s why Paul challenged the church in Rome to ‘present your bodies as a living sacrifice… it is your reasonable service’ (Romans 12:1). We will serve like Jesus served when we embrace our destiny!

It’s Only Reasonable To Serve

It only makes sense to serve, Paul says. It is reasonable to give your life away in sacrificial ministry. Jesus served with reckless, radical abandon because He knew His destiny! We can serve in the same radical way. We know that Jesus will take care of us today, and He will take care of our future! ‘Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ (Luke 12:32–34). Don’t live life in anxiety! Love! Serve! Minister to others! Your future is secure in Christ!
 

There Is Freedom In God’s Sovereignty

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Trust Him With Your Pain

I’ve used my last few posts to take a deeper look at the prayer life of Hannah from 1 Samuel, chapter 1. We’ve considered how God used her God-honoring prayers to heal her brokenness. She learned to pray with a view toward God’s sovereignty over every painful situation in life. I can’t overemphasize how important that was to Hannah’s spiritual formation. Until you can pray — about everything — with a view toward God’s sovereignty, and with an acceptance of your painful circumstances — even when you don’t have the answer to your “why” questions — you’ll be susceptible to a bitter heart. You’ll be in danger of turning yourself into God’s judge.

Motivated By God’s Glory

Until you can pray with a motivation for God’s glory alone, your pain and suffering will eat you up. Let me share with you a Facebook post that one of our members shared after hearing this message in church: “The sovereignty of God is the pillow I lay my head upon. I have finally come to that conclusion; thus, I can sleep at night. God is in control, and I can trust His decisions for this journey my family and I are on now. He will get us through, and even if things don’t go as planned, if we are truly His, one day things will get better — if not in this lifetime, in Heaven… I finally get God’s sovereignty! I get it.” Can you hear the freedom expressed in that statement?

Trust His Character

When you finally grasp God’s sovereignty, it’s a doctrine that offers great freedom — in part because of God’s character. He reveals Himself in Scripture as loving, gracious, merciful, and benevolent toward us. Furthermore, He is just and righteous in all His ways. We can trust Him. We can trust that His sovereign entry into the corners of our lives will always, ultimately, be for our good and for His glory. But you must accept these revelations of Himself by faith. Then let Him be God. Hannah experienced the freedom of God’s sovereignty over all her circumstances. And because she was motivated to see God glorified through her circumstances, she could leave it all in God’s more-than-capable hands. 1 Samuel 1:18 says, “…Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.”

Truth Changes Us

That line was the greatest indicator that she had left her painful circumstances in God’s hands. Remember, back in verse 7, Hannah had grown so despondent that she wouldn’t eat. Her husband became concerned: “Why won’t you eat?” But when she submitted to God’s sovereign plan, “…she ate and no longer looked despondent.” Truth changes us when we believe it. Previously, in her anguish, she had been misread as drunk by Eli the priest: “…No,” she said, “I am a woman with a broken heart… I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord…” (vv. 15–16). Praying through her pain had been messy for Hannah — until the Holy Spirit wrestled with her and calmed her troubled heart. One more lesson about prayer from Hannah: she offered praise when God answered! Take a good look at her words in the next chapter, verses 1–10.
 
 

God’s Glory Over Our Justification

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He Alone Gets Glory For Our Faith

When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church of Ephesus, he made it clear from the start that God alone must receive the glory for anyone’s salvation! From the beginning of salvation, through our justification, until its completion at our glorification, and everything in between during our sanctification in the present—all of it is God’s work, for which He is to receive glory! “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Paul began, “who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:3–6). 

To The Praise Of His Glorious Grace

That phrase, “…to the praise of His glorious grace…” is actually translated, “…to the praise of the glory of His grace…” in the NKJV. In other words, God is glorified through our justification. He is glorified as He justifies us! It isn’t anything that we do— He justifies us! He saves us from the penalty of our sin! That’s what it means to be justified in God’s sight. Our sin legally condemns us to death, but when Jesus became the substitutionary atonement on our behalf, God could legally remove the death penalty we deserved because Jesus died in our place. And clearly, Paul intends for us to understand that our justification was God’s work alone. 

God Chose Us Before Creation

No doubt drawing from Jesus’ words—“…You did not choose Me, but I chose you…”—Paul confirmed that “…He chose us before the foundation of the world…” (v.4). Think of that! Let those words sink in. Feel the weight of that statement! Before the world was created, before you were created, God had already chosen you if you’re a believer! “He predestined us to be adopted…” (v.5). It’s because He chose us & He predestined us to be saved before we were created that all boasting or credit we might take for our faith is removed. One of the most significant aspects of marriage is that, from that day, a woman is called by a new name— her name changed because the groom loves her!  

Called By A New Name

The groom loves her and invites her to take on a new identity as his wife. One of the most significant aspects of accepting Jesus as Savior is the fact that, from that day on, we’re called by a new name! Jesus loves us and invites us to take on a new identity. We’re no longer called a “sinner” but a “saint,” His “bride,” His “church.” Throughout Scripture, there are many examples where God changed the names of His people—He changed Abram, meaning “high father,” to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude of nations.” He changed Sarai, meaning “argumentative,” to Sarah, meaning “princess.” He changed Simon, meaning “he has heard,” to Peter, meaning “the rock.” There are many more if you look into it! When God justifies us, He gives us a new name to signify a changed life, and He does it all for His glory.

What Do You Love More Than God?

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He Had Many Possessions

When Jesus told the rich young ruler to, “Go, sell your belongings and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…” he confronted him with the one thing in his life that was competing for a relationship with God— his wealth! The text continues, “…but when the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions” Mark 10:17-27.  Let’s be clear— Jesus didn’t tell everyone to sell all their possessions and give them to the poor. Only to those who made their possessions an idol, does He tell them to get rid of it! And, it’s not just about HAVING riches!

Wanting To Be Rich

The Apostle Paul says, “…those who WANT to BE RICH fall into temptations, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction” 1 Timothy 6:9.  So, it’s not having riches, necessarily, that is the big temptation and trap. No, Jesus said that it’s the WANTING TO BE RICH that’s the big temptation and trap to people! I’ve known individuals who were dirt poor and fell into this trap! It was the “lust” they had to BE RICH that ruled their life! It was the idol they bowed down to— WANTING to BE RICH! Those who love money, whether they have it or not, are easily deceived by it! Paul continued his warning to Timothy, “…the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” 1 Timothy 6:10. In other words, it’s that covetous love for money that can give rise to all kinds of other deadly sins.

Be Content With These

When the “love of money” is your life’s ambition, you’ll sell out everything to get it— even your relationship with God! You’ll do whatever it takes to gain more money; and, to gain more stuff! But, you’ll never be content! Paul told Timothy that it was “…godliness with contentment that is great gain”; and, “…if we have food and clothing we should be content with these” 1 Timothy 6:6,8.  Our greatest “return on investment” comes from a life that finds contentment in God alone! If we have God! If we know Him! If He is our treasure, then food and clothing are all we really need in this life! Paul tells Timothy that it’s possible to be content with those simple necessities of life because we have all that we need in God! Do you believe that? Do you live that way? Are you content? 

Free From The Love Of Money

God inspired the writer of Hebrews to record these words:  “Keep your life free from the love of money. Be content with what you have. For He has said, ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you.’ Hence we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5,6.  We can be FREE from the love of money! We can be content with what we have because God will never forsake us! He’ll never fail me! The stock market will fail me; but, God never will! Our IRA or 401K or Social Security will fail us; but, God never will! So, how do you spend your money? Jesus said, “…where your heart is, there your treasure will be…” If you treasure stuff, that’s where your heart will follow! If you treasure God’s work, that’s where your heart will follow!
 

Abraham Believed God

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A Biblical Picture Of Sanctification

When God makes an entrance into Abraham’s life, He calls him to leave his home & go to a new land where He promised to make him into a great nation. That presented a problem, because, Sarah— his wife— had been unable to conceive (see Genesis 12). The rest of Abraham’s “story” is just one crisis of belief after another—but, this is what God uses to grow him spiritually! Abraham presents us with a Biblical picture of a sanctified life; and, how God achieves it. This is how God works in the life of everyone who comes to Him by faith!

He Was Justified By His Faith

The scripture tells us that Abraham was “justified” by his faith.  “Abraham believed God,” His story, in Genesis, says, “and, God CREDITED it to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Genesis 15:6).  And, the rest of his life presents a study, in SANCTIFICATION, as he is progressively set free from the power of sin. Isn’t that the hardest part of the Christian life? Growing in our “sanctification”? I mean JUSTIFICATION is really quite painless. It’s just applying the truth of the Gospel and accepting God’s pardon for sin, right? And, GLORIFICATION? I mean, yeah, you have to DIE to get it! But, the actual process of BEING GLORIFIED, like Jesus, sounds awesome! But, SANCTIFICATION? That can be quite painful as God turns up the heat, on our lives, in order to bring our sins to the surface where they can be dealt with by His Spirit!

Promises Answered In The Future

So, let’s talk about how Abraham is a picture of the sanctified life.  Genesis ch. 12 begins with these words: “The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” But, Abraham never saw that promise, of God, fulfilled in his lifetime! The writer of Hebrews says: “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise” (Heb.11:8,9). That phrase, “…he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise…” reminds us that this world is not ours to claim! We’re “aliens” here (1 Peter 2:11).

Where Do You Claim Citizenship?

The Apostle Paul wrote the Church of Philippi— “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).  Like Abraham, we need to confess that we’re “…foreigners and temporary residents on earth” (Heb. 11:13). We can’t hold onto this life too tightly if we hope to grow spiritually! Jesus told us to let go of this life; and, to die to self every day as we wait for the promise of our GLORIFICATION— to be completed in the “Land of Promise.”  It’s interesting that Abraham purchased some of the land that God had promised him, for his burial (Gen. 25). It was his act of faith that he believed God would come through on His promise! Let us follow his great example!


 

God Makes You New, Part I

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If Anyone Is In Christ

If you’re a believer, in Jesus Christ, you’re no longer the OLD you! You’ve become—and, you are becoming— a NEW you; a work that God promises to finish once our lives end here! I love how the Amplified Bible renders 2 Corinthians 5:17— “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, all things have become new [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].”  Throughout his writings, the Apostle Paul breaks down our salvation into 3 parts; and, understanding this is VITAL to your spiritual growth & to your spiritual sanity!

3 Big Theological Words

He uses 3 big theological words— our “JUSTIFICATION”; our “SANCTIFICATION”; and, our “GLORIFICATION.” Now, don’t start snoring on me! Give me a chance to help you understand. You need this; because it’s all about your “identity” as a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you ever struggle in your faith, it’s because you don’t understand how your faith works— your “JUSTIFICATION” is all about the “WAS” of your salvation; your “SANCTIFICATION” is all about the “IS” of your faith right now; and, your “GLORIFICATION” is all about the “IS TO COME” part of your salvation!

The Apostle Paul’s Explanation

Paul explains it like this in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14—  “But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  In your Bible, write down “JUSTIFICATION” next to “…belief in the truth…”  At the moment you believed, in Christ, you were JUSTIFIED by God; and, set free from the “PENALTY” of sin—ALL of it! As far as God is concerned, it’s just as if you’d never sinned because Jesus already paid the price for ALL the sins of ALL humanity for ALL time when He died, as a substitutionary atonement, on the cross! I’ve known believers who struggle with that truth—they believe all their sin, up to their salvation, was forgiven; but, they think they have to keep asking for forgiveness of future sins!  

How Far Is The East From The West?

But, that’s faulty thinking; because  ALL of our sin was “FUTURE” sin when Jesus died on the cross 2000 years ago! When God saves us, He tells us that He’s removed our sin “…as far as the east is from the west…”    (Psalm 103:12). He says He “…buries them in the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19); and, my favorite is that He “…chooses to remember our sins no more” (Heb 10:17).  ALL our sins— past, present & future— are GONE! That’s what it means to be JUSTIFIED! Satan doesn’t want you to know that! He wants you to grovel in your sin & your inadequacies! Every time you stumble & fall he wants to accuse you; but, don’t listen to his lies! God no longer condemns you—Romans 8:1. (Next Week: Part II)

God Punishes Because He Loves

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-God So Loved The World!

The most well known verse, in all of Scripture, is John 3:16. It says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” In this way, God proved His love— He sent Jesus to atone for our sin by His death on the cross! That’s really the end of the argument against God! For all the doubters of God’s love, mercy & grace there is the One & Only “Exhibit A”— His Name is Jesus! And, He bore God’s judgment against sin so we wouldn’t have to! So that we could be saved!

-Brokenness To Openness!

But, it’s only as we experience our brokenness that we become open to God’s overtures to save us! And, punishment is often the tool He uses to expose our brokenness! So, ultimately, it is because God is love that He punishes us to bring us to the place of brokenness; where, He can redeem us! And, there is perhaps no better Biblical example of that than God’s judgment of Judah & Jerusalem as they are overrun by Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar; and, taken into captivity & exile! The Biblical narrative reveals that God first warned them; then, punished them; and, finally, in love, He redeems them! To accomplish God’s purposes in our broken world, He first warns!

-A Skirmish You Can’t Win!

Disobedience to God & His Word will never turn out well for you! When you fight against God, it’s a skirmish you can’t possibly win! When I was young & very foolish I loved to get into fist fights out on the school playground! But, I always sized up the other guy first! There were some guys that I just knew I couldn’t take! So, I would find a way to wiggle out of that fight! I was foolish; but, I wasn’t stupid! I would do everything I could to avoid getting into a fight I knew I couldn’t win! So, why would anyone ever pick a fight with God! You can’t possibly win against a God who is all-powerful! You can’t outwit a God who knows everything there is to know! And, you can’t run away from a God who is everywhere!

-They Despised His Warnings!

And, yet, the Biblical account shows that Israel tried multiple times & lost! So, God warned them & warned them & warned them again! In 2 Chronicles, chapter 36, God reminds them of this:  “But Yahweh, the God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of His messengers, sending them time and time again, for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the Lord’s wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy” (vs. 15-16)

-God’s Compassion Toward Us!

Did you notice why God said He sent them prophets? Look at the end of v.15. It says He sent messengers to warn them, “…because He had compassion on His people…” God warns because of His great compassion toward us! He warns because He is Love! When you  disobey God’s word you expose yourself to great danger! Sin lies to you! It promises pleasure! But, it always delivers pain! Sin is a destroyer! It destroys lives, families & nations! Just go back and read God’s 10 Commandments; and, consider the pain and suffering that comes to those who break them! The one who steals will be incarcerated! The one who lies will never be trusted! The one who sleeps with someone they’re not married to destroys relationships & families & brings hatred & disease upon themselves! Listen when God warns!

Daniel: Debunking The American Dream

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(Note: This is the 10th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

Even If He Does Not Rescue Us

I love the response of Daniel’s 3 friends— Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah— when King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that they bow down & worship his gold statue; or, face death in the fiery furnace:  “If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the King. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as King to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).  Understand that they didn’t doubt His existence when they expressed those words:  “If the God we serve exists…” The rest of the story confirms their belief in His existence; and they trusted God  to deliver them either by miracle or by death!

Where False Teaching Begins

They trusted God even if it was part of His Sovereign will not to deliver them by a miracle! Their trust in God was not just tied to delivery from the furnace— “Even if He does NOT,” they said, “We won’t bow to your false gods.” By application, we have to be careful that our trust in God is not limited to delivery by miracle! Sadly, the “gospel” being preached in the majority of our American churches is all about “ME”— it’s “MAN-centered”, not “GOD-centered.” “If God doesn’t deliver me from the ‘furnace’ of my bad circumstances,” this false “gospel” preaches, “than He’s not to be trusted!” That’s where false teaching begins— with man’s way!

God Is Always Righteous

The true Gospel of Jesus Christ always begins with GOD! And, it contrasts the holiness of God with unholy mankind! God is always righteous & we’re not! We’re born, into this world under His judgment and wrath; broken, depraved, in need of mercy & grace that is only available to us through Jesus’ atonement for our sin on the cross! The so-called “American Dream” is a perversion of God’s true Gospel! It promotes an entitlement mentality of a bigger & better “YOU”— your “right” to own a home; your “right” to a high-paying job; your “right” to affordable health care; your “right” to be delivered from the “furnace”! The false gospel of the “American Dream” says Jesus came to make us bigger & better— that’s NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He didn’t come to make you a better version of YOU! He came to save you from yourself! To follow Jesus means to take up His cross & crucify SELF; to remove self from the throne of your life, and place Jesus there as your Lord, Savior & King! 

God Is The Treasure We Seek

To His disciples, Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). We don’t just need a little “makeover.” We need to DIE! Our “SELF” needs to be crucified & born again in Christ! That’s the true Gospel! This story wasn’t about the delivery of Daniel’s friends from the furnace! This story is about GOD & His eternal purposes— and, Daniel’s 3 friends were submitted to that whether it meant delivery by miracle or by death! That’s their testimony— having relationship with God was of far greater value to them than life itself! By their willingness to entrust their lives to God’s plan & purpose, rather than their own, they made God the treasure to desire more than anything else!

God’s Radical Gospel

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Good Works or Bad Works?

The whole concept of “good works” has confused and divided people & churches since the original sin in the garden! Just a casual reading of Scripture uncovers this tension between some “good works” that are BAD & some “good works” that are GOOD— so, how do we know if our “good works” are GOOD or BAD? Do we need “good works”? What is the purpose of “good works”? 

Defining God’s Gospel

The Apostle Paul brings some clarity to this tension by defining the Gospel for us in his letter to the Church of Corinth:  “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” 1 Cor. 15:1-4.  So, let me define the gospel, Paul says— Christ died for our “sin.” Sin is a “missing of the mark.” To “sin” was a word that was originally used by hunters when they missed the target they were aiming at— “I have sinned.”

Missing The Mark

Applied in the spiritual sense, it means to “miss the mark” of God’s Law.  To fail to keep it! Now, where there is a LAW, there is a LAW GIVER; and, God, the Creator, is that Law Giver. He is Holy, Just & Righteous in all His ways, Scripture informs us! And, as Creator, He has the ultimate authority to demand obedience from us, His creation! But, in Adam, we disobeyed Him; and, our sin separated us from our Holy Creator. So, Jesus came to die for our sins! That’s the Doctrine of Imputation— our sin was “imputed”; or, placed on Jesus; and, His righteousness is “imputed”; or, credited to our account when we repent of our sin & trust Jesus for our salvation.

The Good News Of The Resurrection

At the moment we trust Him, God “justifies” us— that means He declares us righteous! Paul also includes the good news of the Resurrection in his definition of the Gospel— Jesus was buried in a tomb & He rose bodily, from the dead, in power over sin on the 3rd day! That’s the Gospel; and, it’s not just something we preach! The Gospel impacts the rest of our life— it’s about “reconciliation”! The Gospel reconciles our hostile relationship with God, because of our sin; and, it reconciles ALL our relationships! The Gospel is also about “redemption”— it makes all things NEW! Jesus’ Gospel has the power to redeem every situation and every relationship!

So, What About Good Works?

In his letter to the Church of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul clears this up for us— “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – not from works so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” Eph 2:8-10. So, first, he makes a very clear statement that our salvation is an act of God’s grace! It’s only effective as we place our faith in His grace; not in our own works. It’s NOT from yourselves, he says. Then, he contrasts our “good works” that cannot save us; with, the “good works” that God creates us to do after we’ve been “reconciled” & “redeemed” in Christ!  Our “good works” are BAD if we think they will save us! They produce false hope! God’s “good works”— in us— are simply evidence of true faith! Those “good works” are GOOD; because they are produced by God in us!